Proximity-card readers

	Model Hamodu-3300 from Hamodu has a fingerprint storage capacity of 4,500.

Suppliers adopt biometric technologies to raise their models’ efficiency and security levels.

Assessing the product development trends in South Korea’s non-biometric access control line is no longer as easy as it was several years ago. Today, only a thin line separates biometric access control products from their non-biometric counterparts. South Korea makers are increasingly producing combination models that support both proximity technologies and biometric techniques.

Rather than enhance current features, suppliers of proximity card readers are keener on embracing biometric technologies, specifically fingerprint recognition, to enhance their models’ ability to secure personal and corporate information. On the other hand, makers who have stuck to the non-biometric line are boosting their competitiveness by developing multi-frequency readers and 900MHz models. Meanwhile, some companies are veering away from hardware products, devoting their R&D efforts to integrated systems encompassing both access control and building automation.

Intense price competition has brought down prices of proximity card readers by 15 to 50 percent from year-ago levels.

	Ilsung's RF-200 RFID card terminal has an 8-bit microprocessor and operates on 13.56MHz

The South Korea government has been actively supporting and promoting RFID in recent years, encouraging small- and medium-sized security product manufacturers to adopt the technology in their respective product lines.

Instead of introducing advanced or feature-rich proximity card readers, South Korea makers are now developing combination products that support both proximity technologies such as RFID and biometric techniques such as fingerprint, iris, vein and face recognition. According to interviewees, there are no clear leaders in the non-biometric access control market, given makers’ equality in terms of RFID knowledge and adoption.

With no major developments in the non-biometric segment, makers are hoping to boost sales and product performance by exploring biometric technologies that can be supported by their card readers. Meanwhile, those dedicated to the non-biometric line are developing multi-frequency and 900MHz readers.

Even though makers are increasingly adopting biometric factors to boost their card reader lines, non-biometric proximity card readers still outsell fingerprint devices in the domestic market. However, combination access control products are gaining ground. Large enterprises have started to upgrade the security systems of their corporate headquarters and branch offices, replacing existing non-biometric access control devices with new combination models that accept both fingerprints and proximity cards.

Today, the most popular access control products in South Korea are 13.56MHz proximity card readers, fingerprint readers and keypads. Proximity card readers form the bulk of non-biometric access control products from the region. Makers attribute proximity cards’ and readers’ market dominance to the fact that private enterprises are still the biggest users of access control devices. While smart card readers are still in their infancy, access control keypads are considered too ‘old’ to merit makers’ attention.

Biometric features usually determine the price levels of South Korea-made combination access control products. Fingerprint storage capacity, FAR and FRR serve as the basis for categorizing models as high-end, midrange or low-end. Aside from biometric factors, support for above-average reading distances would classify a product as high-end.

For example, a 13.56MHz reader with a 1m reading distance can be considered top-of-the-line.

Another emerging high-end feature is support for more than one frequency band. Multi-frequency models usually work on the 13.56MHz and 900MHz ranges. On the other hand, there are models that read 900MHz tags only. Nonetheless, these units are priced higher because they use a separate RF digital antenna chip whereas 13.56MHz models use a single chip with all core functions integrated. Even though they operate on just one frequency, 900MHz models support the three top RFID chips, namely, NXP’s Mifare, I-code and Sony’s FeliCa.

Proximity card readers without biometric functions cost from $350 to $1,000, while combination units made up of fingerprint and proximity card readers, keypad and LCD monitor sell from $1,000 to $2,000.

Price competition continues to heat up as more and more local and global suppliers enter the lucrative access control business.

Access control suppliers in South Korea are slowly veering away from the production of standalone units and are increasingly developing integrated and multifunctional systems.

Minerva Co. Ltd, which specializes in RFID tags and readers, access control products and camera modules, is currently developing an integrated system that covers access control and building automation. The system will have a South Korea global enterprise as its first user.

Minerva is also keen on developing an integrated access control system that will allow the use of just one RFID card for access control, home door locking, vehicle parking, engine starting, toll payments, lighting control, meal and credit card purchases, location tracking, among others. The reader will operate on the 900MHz and 13.56MHz frequencies, and the EPC Gen 3 standard.

A new model from Minerva supports NXP’s Mifare, I-code and Sony’s FeliCa cards. About 40 percent of Minerva’s RFID card readers are exported to Japan. The company also supplies readers to military establishments in South Korea.

Another maker focusing on integrated systems is Hamodu Card System Co. Ltd, a major supplier of door lock systems, and non-biometric and fingerprint access control products. Hamodu’s access control systems are now being used by local colleges, government offices, police stations, public institutes, airports and hotels.

Hamodu president Sok Hee Chang admitted that the company is now supplying more integrated systems than hardware products. Thus, Hamodu is devoting its R&D efforts to integrated systems that support access control, mobile banking, traffic card and other functions. It also plans to release a mobile access control system for one-time use.

Industry newcomer Ilsung Precision Co. Ltd echoes the belief that makers do not differ much in terms of hardware technology. Thus, it is focusing its energies on enhancing its products’ housing. Its technical collaboration with a Japanese company has allowed it to provide in-molding-type housing for its LCD monitors.

Ilsung has released model RF-101C, which works on both 125KHz and 13.56MHz frequencies. The unit features an LCD monitor, the color of which can be customized. The company said that by using one integrated board, it has reduced production costs, improved processing speed and decreased product size. Another new product, model FG-102C, is powered by Samsung’s ARM9 2440 processor and can accommodate up to 100,000 users.